


In London

by bagog



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Bittersweet, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Post-Reaper War, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-17
Updated: 2015-08-17
Packaged: 2018-04-15 05:11:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4594101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bagog/pseuds/bagog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before the events of Mass Effect 2, Kahlee Sanders gets her first look at Captain Anderson's new apartment. After the Reaper War, Kaidan and Shepard are thinking about the same apartment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In London

**Author's Note:**

> Written for m'tumblr's All Request August! A request by Mareel. Thanks! 
> 
> This might be considered, in some ways, a sequel and prequel to my story 'Someone's Waiting'

Tiberius Towers was a nice building. In a nice part of town. Well, sort of: the Silver Sun Strip was obviously not David’s cup of tea, but it was a short walk from the sushi restaurant they tried to visit whenever their schedules aligned. Kahlee had been supposed to meet him downstairs in the lobby to go there, but she had already figured out which apartment was Anderson’s, and went up to ring the doorbell directly.

“ _Kahlee!”_ Anderson’s face on the vid-comm looked shocked, “ _You’re early!”_

“Punctual’s what I am, Captain. You said 21:00.”

“ _…it’s 20:30.”_

“Yeah, but everyone shows up a half-hour early.”

“Not everyone,” he looked so pleased on the tiny screen, “Just you…”

“Open up, Captain,” she held up the wine she’d brought. “I didn’t come early to share this with the vid-comm.”

“Oh, right. Of course.”

His hands were on her hips the moment she walked in the door, just looking at her. She couldn’t say it didn’t make her feel nice. She was pretty convinced David didn’t use that smile with anyone else. She rubbed a hand up his chest, touching his face. When he leaned into her touch, she could feel the new wrinkles that had formed around his eyes since the last time they could afford to be this close.

It had been a while since she’d seen him like this: out of uniform, but not quite in casual clothes either. He was dressed in black slacks and a coal-gray patterned button down, the kind he’d wear when they went on a date. It had been months.

“I like the shirt,” she teased, tugging at the collar until David chuckled, “I’m glad it’s soft. I’m going to be wearing it in the morning.”

“Good thing I have other shirts.” He pulled her in, hands behind the small of her back. It looked like there was more to the joke he wanted to say, but forgot about it the minute she winked.

“What’re you looking at, David?” she grinned. It was a game they played. David’s answer was always different: saucy or sweet or teasing depending on how he was feeling—

“The most beautiful woman in the world.” That was new.

“Then you better kiss me, hm?” He did, and it was a kiss straight out of the vids, even though she hadn’t seen any vids since she was a girl. She would’ve liked for it to go on for a while, but holding the bottle of wine was becoming annoying when there was so much else she’d rather be doing with her hands.

“Welcome home, Miss Sanders,” David breathed when she pulled away. She pecked his bottom lip and turned to set the bottle down… but there wasn’t a table in sight. There was no furniture, in fact. Save for the piano in the corner by the window.

“Oh David, how long have you been living here?” She pulled away from his arms and wandered into the empty living room.

“Only about three weeks.” He padded behind, keeping close.

“No furniture?”

“Not yet, I… wanted it to be all ready for you when you visited but,” his hands wrapped around her from behind as she looked into the fire. “Since it’s _our_ place, I figured you’d want some input.”

“You just want me to do your decorating for you,” she leaned her head back as he began to kiss her throat.

“I want you feel like you belong here,” he took the bottle from her hands and set it on the hearth, “I want you to be happy…”

She turned in his arms and took his face between her hands, brought their lips together. “It’s a beautiful apartment, David,” she whispered when they pulled apart. “And I can’t wait to see…” she walked her fingers up his body from belt to collar, “…every inch of it. But you said you had an announcement?”

He laughed, the deep throaty sound he made sometimes only after Kahlee had _really_ softened him up with enough good-natured flirting.

“I’ve just been selected as the first human member of the Citadel Council,” he rolled his eyes, but still beamed.

“David! That’s… that’s incredible news!” She flung her arms around his neck and squeezed him close.

“It won’t be announced till next week but… I wanted to tell you. So you’d actually believe me when I told you I got this apartment so we could be together. I know you have your own thing now that Grissom’s finally happening, but when you’ve got some time—“

“Shh,” she put a finger to his lips, “David… I’m happy for you. I’m happy for us. And I hope you’ve got some wine glasses so we can drink the congratulations I brought.”

“You figured I’d get it, huh?”

“I trusted the Council to do the right thing,” she smirked, picking up the wine and stepping away from David’s arms.

“Well, I may not have furniture, but I bought a full set of wine glasses just about an hour ago.” He turned into the spartan kitchen and produced two flutes. They bickered over how best to open the bottle without a corkscrew, David wanting to fetch his knife from upstairs, and Kahlee finally sawing the top of the bottle off with a clean swipe from her omni-blade.

“We’re drinking the bottle, _Councilor_.”

++

“Kaidan, hey!”

Shepard sat up, trying not to wince when his skin grafts pulled with the sudden movement. The tiny apartment the Alliance had given him while recuperating was old, but the neighborhood was largely unscathed in the Reaper invasion.

“Sorry I’m late,” Kaidan kissed Shepard’s head, undid his scarf and handed him a bottle of wine, “Wanted to pick up something special.”

“…’54! This is a nice vintage! What’re we celebrating?”

“I’m celebrating finding the bottle,” Kaidan laughed, lightly slapping his cheeks to chase away the rosy hue and the cold. Shepard waved him over and even made like he was going to stand up to make Kaidan hurry. When he stooped down, Shepard kissed his red nose, then pulled him in to kiss him on the lips.

“I’m excited to give it a try,” he said, nipping at the dimple forming in Kaidan’s cheek. “Glad you’re getting to see London a little bit.”

“Most of it’s still rubble, and I’d rather be walking the streets with you,” he stroked a hand down Shepard’s face. “But it is… a beautiful city.”

“Yeah, even from the window, I can see why Anderson liked it so much,” he sighed, staring down at the street, the foot traffic becoming sparser and sparser as the power curfew approached. “But seriously, where did you find this wine?”

“I’ve gotta have some secrets,” Kaidan smirked, “You’re feeling so much better. Thought you deserved a treat.”

They’d been living together here since Shepard had left the hospital. A lot of the time, Kaidan was off on Spectre business, but he had demanded to be stationed on Earth unless he was absolutely needed elsewhere. It didn’t surprise Shepard that Kaidan was so often needed someplace else in the galaxy—not with his record—but it frustrated Kaidan to be away. It frustrated Shepard to have him away, make no mistake, but the kinds of ‘hello’s Kaidan gave when he got back always made it better.

“You deserve the treat, you’ve been doing something. I’ve been sitting by this window, reading all day…”

“Hey hey hey,” Kaidan settled onto his lap, checking his face for any signs of discomfort, “Stop, okay? We’ve been over this.”

So they didn’t go over it again, they made out instead. Shepard couldn’t complain about that.

++

Two glasses of wine later, and Kahlee sat next to David at the piano, leaning on his shoulder as he played variations on one of her favorite songs. They had decided not to go out after all, and they hadn’t been disappointed with their choice.

“Of course there were people on the Citadel who don’t think I’m the best person to represent humanity. Can’t say I blame them, I’m not exactly crazy about the idea of being a politician either. They’ve all had their say,” David said, playing a tinkling arpeggio to take a moment to sip at his wine.

“But after a recommendation from Commander Shepard, who could say no?” Kahlee supplied.

“That’s about right,” David’s playing never wavered, but the smile had faded from his face.

“…are you alright?”

“Getting selected for the Council made me think about Shepard all over again.”

“I’m so sorry, David. I know how important he was to you.”

“Last official act as a Spectre is his letter officially recommending me to the office? How could I say no?”

“He’s gone too soon,” Kahlee kissed his shoulder softly, gently running her hand up and down his spine. Shepard was always a sore subject, but Kahlee needed to ask about him every once in a while to make sure David was coping. He’d lost people before, but no one like Shepard. “He knew you didn’t want the job, why do you think he recommended you?”

“I fail to make first human Spectre, get made first human Councilor instead. I think Shepard appreciated the irony in that,” David laughed. “I don’t think he ever wanted to be a Spectre, but he knew he was the right choice, knew what it could do for humanity. For the galaxy. And he wanted to help people. He knew I would make a good councilor. And I will. So he made the recommendation.”

“He made a good call, there.”

“Shepard was full of good calls.” He stumbled over a few notes, but recovered immediately: spinning the mistake into a jazz progression.

“He got that from _you_ , David. You believed in him, supported him when everyone thought he was unstable after that thing with the thresher maws. Supported his candidacy for Spectre. Gave him the Normandy. You rubbed off on him, Councilor.”

“Maybe you’re right,” he stopped playing, stared deep into his wine glass as he picked it up. “He was like another son to me, Kahlee. And to bury an empty casket…”

Kahlee kissed his cheek and let him drink his wine. “He’d be proud of you, David.”

“I certainly like to think so. Lord knows I was proud of him.” Anderson kissed her forehead, “Got a message the other day from Commander Alenko—he served under me on the Normandy, the biotic? He was there on the Citadel, still bleeding in his armor when Shepard recommended me. Message was wishing me luck, thanking me for the recommendation for his promotion. He said the same thing.”

“That Shepard would be proud of you?”

“Yes,” he played a stray snatch of an old melody on the low-end of the keyboard, “I’m glad he’s picked himself up. Hadn’t seen him since the funeral—Shepard’s funeral, that is. The private one. All in the family. I think he and Shepard were in love.”

“Really?” Kahlee remembered a few stories about the biotic.

“Nothing outright, nothing either of them would admit to, I’m sure,” he grinned and Kahlee rolled her eyes. “Sound familiar?”

“Did you talk to the Commander about this?”

“Shepard? Alenko?”

“Either.”

“No, not my place. Was a wound I wouldn’t want to open at this stage. Still, I feel for him. Those two would’ve had a good chance together.”

Kahlee watched the cars shoot past the window while David returned both hands to the piano, singing gently under his breath as he played. She could never get him to actually sing, not like he did when they were younger. It was a shy half-voice, most of the words mumbled rather than sung outright.

“Of course, you don’t buy a couch, or a dining-room table: you buy a piano, first.” Kahlee laughed and pulled him off the bench.

“Couldn’t help myself. I’ve always wanted my own. I’ll have a lot more time for all the things I’ve wanted in my life, now,” he whispered. David settled his arms around her and, humming the song he had been playing, he swayed to the music, sweeping her about the empty apartment. Kahlee laughed.

“Tell me you at least bought a bed?”

“…not exactly…” he said after a moment, dancing just a little slower as they neared the fireplace. She chuckled again and leaned back to unbutton his shirt.

“Good thing this rug is so comfy…”

++

Shepard and Kaidan toasted just as the snow started to fall. The wine was incredible—better than Shepard was used to, better even than his sky-high expectations. The way Kaidan had opened it, reverently poured it, told him all about how wine was made and the work and the love people like his parents put into it: it all helped banish the feeling things like this always stirred up in Shepard. Survivor’s guilt. The wine had survived the war when so many friends hadn’t. A bottle of wine. He had survived. And he was drinking the wine.

Normally that idea would cripple him, but as they sat watching the snow fall, the wine was just wine. Kaidan was just his boyfriend, and not a hero. And he was… just John. Kaidan knew how to set him at ease.

“I’ve got a couple free days coming up,” Kaidan said, tapping Shepard’s foot with his own. When they had to sit in separate chairs, Kaidan tended to get impatient, needing to at least be touching feet. “I figured we could go visit Anderson’s grave?”

“Yeah. I think I’d like that.”

“I know a place that still sells flowers, maybe a wreath.”

“Yeah.”

Kaidan chuckled, “Would you believe I actually sent Kahlee a message at Grissom to ask her what kind of flowers he liked?”

Contacting Kahlee Sanders was something Kaidan never did lightly: she would doubtless try to talk him out of his Spectre and Alliance duties and into a teaching position at Grissom Academy. But, since Shepard had told him about Anderson’s last words aboard the Crucible, he’d been a bit less evasive.

“What did she say?” Shepard chuckled.

“She had no idea!” He sipped at his wine, “But she said that _she_ loves freesias…”

“Then I bet Anderson would’ve loved them!”

“She also mentioned she needed a picture of you for her scrapbook,” Kaidan cast him a sidelong look.

“Oh really?” Shepard smirked in return, “last I talked to her she wanted a picture of _us_ for that scrapbook.”

“Dammit,” Kaidan scowled playfully, “When did you talk to her?”

“I’ve got a lot of time to write these days.”

“You’re healing. You’ve earned it.”

“Maybe. Wish I could be out there with you.”

The power shut down abruptly, only the heaters remaining on. With all the generators off, the night was quiet as the snowfall, and the city-shine off the heavy clouds softly dissipated as the city went dark. It would be another moment before the emergency lights went on, but for a moment the darkness was absolute outside the window. And, in the light of the single candle Kaidan had lit when he opened the wine, he saw the reflection of Kaidan and him. They sat, tired bodies sprawled out in separate chairs.

“Look at those guys,” Shepard mumbles under his breath, pointing at their mirrored forms.

“I’m looking,” Kaidan replied, smiling at Shepard’s reflection in the glass. “They look like they’re doing alright, don’t they?”

“They sure do. They look tired,” Shepard grinned, sipping at his wine. The emergency blue streetlights activated along the street.

“Come on, soldier,” Kaidan stood, took both wine glasses and set them on the counter. It must have been a special occasion for Kaidan to leave the cleaning for the morning. “I wanna go to bed with you. Been waiting too damn long.”

He pulled Shepard out of the chair and kissed him deep, all but dancing him over to the bed.

++

The floor _was_ soft, and perfect for making love like teenagers. But afterwards, dozing there for a few minutes, David and Kahlee had switched off the fireplace and climbed the stairs to the bedroom.

“Oh David,” Kahlee laughed when she stepped into the bedroom. “You crack me up.”

David had very obviously been sleeping in the middle of the giant bedroom on a regulation Alliance cot. But on the floor next to it was a vase full of fresh-cut freesias.

“Like I said, I would’ve rather had everything ready for you,” he said, looking apologetic, “But I haven’t had a lot of time and… was hoping you’d help make some of the decisions. You take the cot, I’ll be just fine on the floor.”

“No, David, _no_.” Kahlee’s perfect evening was not going to end this way. So, a few minutes later, she had David wrapped in her arms, each of them trying their best to share the tiny cot.

“This takes me back,” David chuckled, and Kahlee could feel the deep rumble in her own chest, pressed to his back.

“You can take the man out of the military…” she teased.

“You’re not going to be comfortable like this.” He shifted, “I’ll just sleep on the floor.”

“ _David_ ,” she squeezed him tighter. “I haven’t seen you in months, and nothing is going to make me more comfortable than this. So stay!”

“Alright,” he sighed. “…what do you think of our apartment?”

“It’s big,” Kahlee muttered, letting her eyes close. “It’s nice.”

“Yes. Plenty of space…”

“For a family…?”

“I’d thought about it.”

“Me too.”

“…Although,” David said, yawning wide. “It’s strange having my own place like this. Makes me think about London.”

“Oh yeah,” Kahlee smiled into his back. She had good memories of London, one of the first times they’d ever gone on a date. Before they even dated. Seeing David open up and show her around his hometown. He was in his element, there. “I miss London, once in a while.”

“Me too. Haven’t been there in years…”

“Go to sleep, Councilor. Tomorrow I’ll order some furniture. Maybe we can plan a trip home for you, hm?”

She always thought they’d end up in London together, someday. Anderson would never admit it, for now. Meanwhile, buying this apartment was a big step towards him settling down seriously. It would never quite feel like _their_ home. But for now, on the small cot, it was a stepping stone, and Kahlee was sharing it with the man she loved.

++

Shepard finally felt like he could really sleep: he and Kaidan shared the tiny twin bed the Alliance had provided for him in the apartment. Both of them were big men, and the bed was too small for either man individually. But with the way Kaidan tended to hold him all through the night—pressed right into his body no matter how big the bed—it didn’t matter too much.

“Can’t wait till I’m healed. Spend all day doing nothing and I can’t get to sleep,” Shepard whispered in the darkness.

“Liar,” Kaidan muttered sleepily against the back of his neck. “You’re already half-asleep.”

That was true.

“Least I’ll be out of this place.”

“It’s just a stepping stone, till you get back on your feet.”

“Then it can be you and me. Finally.”

“Finally.” Kaidan’s arms squeezed tight around him.

“Want to see London with you tomorrow, at least,” he yawned. “I hope it’s everything you hoped it would be, back when there were Reapers crawling all over it.”

“It’s nice…” Kaidan sighed. “But, if I’m honest, I  miss your apartment on the Citadel.”

“ _Our_ apartment.”

“…our apartment,” Kaidan agreed at last.

“You just miss the big tub. The big bed…”

“I miss the way it made you smile when we were there on shore leave.” Kaidan yawned again, kissing the back of Shepard’s neck after, “Big smile.”

“…go to sleep, lover,” Shepard whispered, and it seemed Kaidan complied almost instantly. They’d both sleep well tonight, despite the tiny bed and the abysmal apartment. And, in the morning, Shepard would wake up to Kaidan’s face for the first time in almost two weeks.

But, at the same time, he couldn’t wait for the time where he would wake up to that sight every morning in their bedroom on the Citadel.

He couldn’t wait to go home.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. It's a little thing, but I really like building up the similarities between these couples. If you haven't read 'Someone's Waiting' before, it kind of pairs with this. Thank you so much!


End file.
